Metallic railway-tie.



A PATENTED JUNE 2 1903. J. H. VAN TASSBL & J. M; THORNTON.

APPLICIATION FILED AUG. 19. 1902.

No MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented June 2, 1903;

ATENT OFFICE- JAMES H. VAN TAssEL AND JAMES M. THORNTON, OF ELMIRA, NEWYORK.

METALLIC RAILWAY-TIE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 730,059, dated June 2,1903. Application filed August 19 1902. Serial No. 120,242. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES H. VAN TAssEL and J AMES M. THORNTON,citizens of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county ofChemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Metallic Railway-Ties; and we do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Our invention relates to improvements in metallic railway-ties and meansfor securing the rails in position.

The object of our invention is to provide a metallic-tie and railsecuring-device which is durable in construction, made of a minimumnumber of parts, readily placed in position and removed therefrom, andwhich will be securely held in operative position.

Other objects will appear as the invention is hereinafter described.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the improvedconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a metallic tie,showing the rails in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinalsectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is across-sectional view of the tie. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of aportionof the tie, showing the formation of the struck-up lugs. Fig. 5is a detail of the strap or clamp. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of amodified form of tie.

Similar reference-numeralsindicate similar parts.

1 designates a metallic tie stamped out and bent into quadrangularshape, with the meeting edges of the tie located atthe center of thebottom. The sides and bottom are provided with deep corrugations 2, asshown, said corrugations running transversely of the tie and beingcontinuous from the sides into the bottom, thereby not onlystrengthening the sides and bottom, respectively, but also the angleswhere side and bottom join. These corrugations are located throughoutthe length of the tie and form means for positively retaining the tieagainst endwise movement when the track has been ballasted.

The upper surface 3 of the tie is free of corrugations and is providedat each end'with struck-up portions 4 5, forming lugs at points wherethe rail is to be laid. The lugs 4 are bent up and shaped to fit thebase of the rail 6, said lugs being adapted to receive one side of suchbase, as shown in Fig. 2, and forming the rail-retaining means for oneside of the rail. The logs 5 are also struck up and spaced relatively tothe base of the rail, so as not to contact therewith, and are eachprovided with a rec'ess 5 Said lugs 5 are adapted to form abutments forthe outer end of the strap or clamp 7, the inner end of which forms therail-retaining means opposed to the lugs 4. The straps 7 are shaped asshown, having an undercut portion 8, adapted to fit over the base of therail and is of a width slightly less than that of the length of the lug5, so that there is less liability of the straps working sidewise, thestrap 7 being provided with a lip 7, fitting in the recess 5. secured inposition by the passage ofa rivet or bolt 9 through the strap and tie ata point adjacent to the edge of the base of the rail.

' The strap is preferably riveted in position,

the ends of the tie being open and afiording ready access to theinterior to aid in the riveting operation; but bolts may be used, ifdesired. As the rivets are adjacent to the edge of the rail-base, itwill be apparent that they not only form means for securing the strap inposition, but also in themselves prevent the rail from moving away fromits position relative to the lugs 4. 1

As will be seen, the relative location of the lugs 4 and 5 is the sameat each end-that is to say, both lugs 4 are on the right or left sidesof the rails, as the case may be, both lugs being on the same side. Bythis arrangement the tie can be removed without disturb ing the railitself, a removal of the straps 7 permitting the rail to be moved in adirection to free the rail from the lugs 4. In order to remove liabilityof the lugs 4 being broken Off The strap is under strain, as when usedaround a curve,

the ties are preferably arranged with alternate ties presenting the samecharacter of retainer, either permanent or removable, on the same side.In case of breakage of a lug 4 a new lug can be riveted in position,and, if desired, the tie may be galvanized.

In the structure shown in Fig. 6 the quadrangular shape is changed, thebottom of the tie being of greater width than the top, the tie in otherrespects being the same.

It will be obvious from the above that the tie and rail retaining meansis formed with a limited number of parts, consisting of the tie, the twostraps, and the rivets or bolts, the latter of any preferred number, onefor each strap being sufficient, however. Furthermore, the tie and railcan be readily placed in position without the necessity of special toolsbeing used and is of such simplicity as to be readily put in place bythe ordinary track-laying gang. When riveted in position, diflicultywould be presented in removing a section of the rail, and therefore, inconnection with the corrugated surfaces, there is little liability ofthe rails spreading.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is- 1. Ametallic railway box-tie, having its sides and bottom corrugatedtransversely throughout the length of the tie, the corrugations beingcontinuous from side to bottom as herein set forth.

2. A metallic railway box-tie, having adjacent to each end, a struck-upclip, adapted to overlap the flange of a rail; an opposing struck-up,spaced lug, provided on its inner face with a recess; a strap or clamphaving on one end a lip fitting in the recess of the lug, and on itsother end, an undercut shouldered portion, adapted to fit over theflange of the rail, and means for securing the strap to the tie asherein set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture a sheetmetal railway box-tie, havingits sides and bottom provided with transverse corrugations throughoutthe length of the tie, and continuous from sides to bottom; and adjacentto each end, a struck-up clip adapted to overlap the flange of a rail,and an opposing struck-up lug, recessed on its inner face, and spacedfrom the opposite clip, to receive a clamp between the lug and the rail,as herein set forth.

4. A sheet-metal railway box-tie, having adjacent to each end astruck-up clip, adapted to overlap the flange of a rail; an opposingstruck-up lug, having a recess on its inner face; a strap or clampadapted to engage the lug at one end and to overlap the flange of a railat its other end; and means for securing the strap or clamp in place, asherein set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa= tures in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES H. VAN TASSEL. JAMES M. THORNTON.

Witnesses:

ROB ERVIN, THoMAs ODoNNELL.

